 The End of Brain Hormone Project Phase 2 |
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The End of Brain Hormone Project Phase 2
Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province » Laikipia
April 21st 2008 by Peregrine
Well, we managed to squeak by with enough starling specimens to make Brain Hormone Project Phase 2 a success. It was looking grim there for a while - I was worried we wouldn't acquire an adequate number of samples, which would have potentially rendered the samples we had already collected up to this point (all the birds from the first phase) useless. Although, I suppose I shouldn't get too ahead of myself - they still need to be analyzed. Thankfully that's not my job, though!
So now it's a day or two of rest, then the telemetry begins . . . in the meantime, enjoy this short photo-essay of random pictures from my past few weeks!
Wild Dogs
Joined Kayna to find a pack of Wild Dogs, again. This time we were searching for a pack from which an individual recently had to be put down because of rabies, and now Kayna must monitor the pack eve... [more]
Red Head
Red-headed Rock Agama. Caught this guy with a string-pull trap; he was either sunning himself on the rock I put the bait on, or eating the ants attracted by the bait - I'm not sure which.
Is it safe to come out?
Found this African Hedgehog in my trap one morning, enjoying the hordes of ants attracted by the bits of chicken I'd used as bait the night before.
African Paradise-Flycatcher
This white morph (as opposed to the rufous morph) African Paradise-Flycatcher likes to flycatch near the offices - I often see him from my window.
Godfrey
Posing with his Masaai "bling" in front of Clifford's Kopje - he asked me to take this photo so that he can give it to his girlfriend . . . what a guy!
Find the Bird
Wilson and I found a Spotted Thick-knee (Dikkop) on a nest near where we were mistnetting one morning. They have impressively large eggs, relative to their body size! They also blend in quite well, ... [more]
Crazy Grasshopper
Wilson found and caught this grasshopper one afternoon while we were exploring a set of cliffs, locally known as the Baboon Cliffs, that look out over the southeast part of Mpala (and neighboring ranc... [more]
Nocturnal Dragonfly?
I wish I knew my insects better . . . we've found a few of these flying about a day or two after heavy rains. This one was found on a night drive, but I've also had them in my office.
Torquoise Tortoise
Wilson and I stumbled across this tortoise while searching for Superb Starling nests one afternoon.
Hatchling
Baby Superb Starling, probably only a few days old, from a nest at about chest-level in an Acacia drepanolobium, or Knob-thorn Acacia (the type of acacias with bulbous hollow thorns in which sp... [more]
Golden Orb Weaver
Look at that freakin' thing! Found this gal above where I had been sitting for several hours, watching a mistnet.
Arachnophobia
Even though this spider *allegedly* doesn't pack much of a punch in its bite, I can't help but be a little wigged out by it.
Horned Beetle
Wilson found this tiny two-horned beetle . . . add another one to the list of cool beetles in central Kenya!
2 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
May 5th 2008 - shannon: great pics!
you have some amazing pictures, Ty! Nice work. Maybe photojournalism is your calling?!
Love you!
May 6th 2008 - M: Jumpin' Grasshoppers!
That is about the coolest grasshopper ever. Can't imagine how you found it in the first place. The baby starling looks like it has a smile on it's face. The spiders are terrific. Great photos!....M
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